The invention pertains to a sock, especially for use in sports activities, with a leg part and a foot part. The foot part has a toe area, a heel area, and a sole area, which is located between the toe and heel areas, the sock being provided with an O-ring bandage.
Especially in the case of sports activities, the human foot is usually enclosed by a sock. So that the sock will fit properly on the foot, it is known that O-ring bandages can be provided on socks or stockings (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,745). These, however, are arranged to extend circumferentially and symmetrically, and parallel to the longitudinal center line of the sock.
Running and jumping movements exert increased stress on the foot, especially in the area of the ankle. The foot has the natural function of flexing inward to damp such impacts. This function is called pronation. After the outside part of the sole has made contact with the ground, the load shifts somewhat toward the inside, so that the lengthwise arch of the foot can flatten out and thus absorb some of the impact. The human foot, however, can be formed in different ways. Feet can be divided into normal, contracted, inverted, and flat. The normal foot shows a balanced arch. During walking and running, the outside edge of the foot strikes the ground first. Then it rolls inward to absorb and to damp the impact of the foot. This is referred to as “natural pronation”. Contracted and inverted feet do not inflect inward for the most part during the landing phase, and the footprint left behind consists primarily of the forward and rear parts of the foot. This is called “underpronation” or “supination”. The natural ability of the foot to protect against impact is considerably reduced in the case of underpronation. Flat feet, furthermore, have a very low arch and leave behind a footprint consisting of the complete foot. Flat feet flex very strongly toward the inside after the landing phase. This is called overpronation. In addition, the motor apparatus in the area of the foot joints can be stressed by improper alignment of the legs, which can take either the form commonly called bowlegged or that called knock-kneed.
Both overpronators and underpronators, as well as people with improper alignment of the legs, suffer from the problem of insufficient natural damping. As a result, severe stress is imposed on the foot. To support the ligaments and tendons of the motor apparatus around the ankle, it is known that bandages can be placed around the foot. A bandage is wrapped horizontally around the lower area of the shin and around the ankle before the sock is pulled over the foot. This wrapping, however, does not offer satisfactory stabilization and support of the motor apparatus around the ankle, and in addition it does not take into account the special forms of stress associated with overpronation and underpronation. The bandage, furthermore, adds considerable bulk under the sock, which decreases the wearing comfort.
The invention proposes to provide a remedy to this situation. The invention is based on the task of creating a sock which supports the motion apparatus in the area of the ankle and which is designed specifically to deal with the special stresses which occur in association with overpronation and underpronation and also those associated with misalignment of the legs. According to the invention, this task is accomplished in that at least one O-ring bandage is provided in the area of the ankle, this bandage extending asymmetrically around the circumference of the sock.
The invention creates a sock, especially a sock for sports activities, which supports the motion apparatus in the area of the ankle and which deals specifically with the particular stresses associated with overpronation and underpronation and also with those associated with misalignment of the legs. For this reason, the O-ring bandage is located in the area of the ankle in such a way that it can provide a support function appropriate to the type of stress being imposed in the case in question.
In an embodiment of the invention, the asymmetric O-ring bandage passes under the ankle on the inside of the foot and above the ankle on the outside of the foot. As a result, the ankle is supported in particular against strong forces acting outward.
In another embodiment of the invention, the asymmetric O-ring bandage passes above the ankle on the inside of the foot and under the ankle on the outside of the foot. As a result, the ankle is supported in particular against strong forces acting outward.
In an elaboration of the invention, two O-ring bandages are provided. As a result, the support function provided for the ankle is improved even more. The opposing arrangement of the bandages, furthermore, creates a support function acting on both sides of the ankle.
In an embodiment of the invention, the sock has at least one wicking channel. The wicking channel is used to optimize the temperature and humidity conditions of the foot by conducting away perspiration. To avoid excessive layers of material, the wicking channel preferably passes through the bandages.
Other elaborations and embodiments of the invention are stated in the other subclaims.